Introducing Allegra Johnson, Volunteer Coordinator and our new Jesuit Volunteer for 2019-2020!9/18/2019  Hello All!
My name is Allegra Johnson (she/her) and I am the new Jesuit Volunteer North West AmeriCorps Member serving at the InterIm CDA as The Danny Woo Community Garden Volunteer Coordinator. In other words, I am a grateful outsider to the International District, here to first and foremost listen to and learn from this beloved community. I would, therefore, like to start this introduction with gratitude for the warm welcome and wondrous hospitality I have received from the CID during my first month in Seattle. I am a Midwest girl through and through. I was born, raised, and educated in the state of Iowa. A little fun fact is that yes, Iowa does have a lot of corn field, but the Eastern part, where I am from, has a vast landscape filled with great hiking and beautiful water ways. For this reason, I love the water; lakes, creeks, waterfalls, puddles… and being outdoors. I come to Seattle with an undergraduate degree in Social Work and a heart for social justice; specifically, the intersection between justice work and community gardens. The Danny Woo Community Garden will be the fourth garden I have had the opportunity to be a part of. Amongst loving to grow plants, I also have a deep love for chickens and compost, both of which I get to attend to in The Danny Woo Community Garden! And so, to say it simply, I am overjoyed to be serving in this community for the coming year. Much peace, Allegra
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It’s August 2018 and you have no reservations; you’ve been in these spaces before. Your entire educational career, actually.
You’re headed to the Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest orientation where most others are privileged-private-schoolers-who-can-afford-to-volunteer-for-a-year type of people like you. The facilitators will teach you about the program values and there will be plant care workshops and free yogurt starter cultures and people in hammocks and you’ll feel at ease. You’ll feel like you’re “hip and with it” until everybody is asked to split into their racial affinity groups for an activity. ??? (OK you know you are not white but you are three different varieties of Asian!) You ask the facilitators if you should be in the “mixed” group or the “people of color” group because you are genuinely unsure. They say, “whatever feels authentic to you.” (Classic.) I look back and think that this is when you learned that you were brown. Like Asian American. Like POC. You’ll lean on things that center you, like movement and nature. You’ll notice that your POC peers are not proportionally represented in the Western environmental movement nor in the outdoor sports community you’ve wedged yourself into. You’ll realize that many of the people who are hiking, composting, and eating vegan are the same people gentrifying your beloved new neighborhood, Seattle’s Chinatown-International District. You’ll learn that Pinchot’s and Roosevelt’s national parks violently displaced indigenous folks. You’ll realize that the hours you spent studying to score well on exams did not teach you anything, ANYTHING, about Madhya Pradesh or Manila. But don’t worry. Your community mates will be interested in your liberation and they will create a loving environment where you can explore the questions you hold. The API youth and elders in the garden will humble and guide you. Your peers at your POC-run organization, InterIm CDA, will become family and will want you to reclaim your culture. They will help you navigate the colonialist box called conservation. They will be there to inspire you, call you out AND in, and you’ll be a better person because of it. Whoo! Deferring from medical school to spend more time reconnecting here as the Program Coordinator! Thanks to all who have made this journey possible; I have the deepest gratitude. - Angela Patel (JVC NW '18-'19)  As part of our partnership with The Mission Continues (TMC) we are excited to co-host another volunteer day on Saturday September 7th in the Danny Woo Community Garden. TMC empowers veterans to continue their service, and empowers communities with veteran talent, skills and preparedness to generate visible impact.
Working with TMC has been incredible for the Danny Woo Community Garden. Since 2017 their volunteers have served hundreds of hours in the garden, plus completed building projects such as a new bulletin board kiosk in the entrance of the building, a children's garden bench underneath our cherry tree, re-furbished benches in our plaza, and repaired timber steps! We are grateful for their enthusiasm, support, and friendship! Our September 7th workday is open to the public. If you'd like to join us to repair a vegetable washing station and refurbish more benches please sign up with TMC by clicking on this link: VOLUNTEER WITH THE MISSION CONTINUES AT THE DANNY WOO COMMUNITY GARDEN! If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at volunteer@interimcda.org. 2019 Pig Roast video by Hirabayashi resident Susan Ammon
We are pleased to share a beautiful compilation of recipes by Danny Woo Community Gardeners put together by two University of Washington students.
Interested in a hard copy to support our garden? Email lbaskerville@interimcda.org to order, $5-$20 sliding scale.  Mr. Wu with WILD Garden Crew last Wednesday during his class on peas, beans, and pollination We are now offering monthly Danny Woo Community Gardener Classes open and free to the public!
Please email the garden manager at lbaskerville@interimcda.org to reserve your spot. All classes are Wednesdays from 3:15-5:15 unless otherwise noted. Past workshops April 10 Kam's Flowers Learn about flower bulbs and how to grow and care for them Instructor: Kam Tai Chun 秦琴娣 , Danny Woo Gardener since 2003 May 8 Sweet Peas Beans, peas, trellising, and pollination Instructor: Lichuan Wu 吴立传, Danny Woo Gardener since 2014 Upcoming workshops: May 22 Apples & Pollination How to care for apples and increase pollination Instructor: Lichuan Wu 吴立传, Danny Woo Gardener since 2014 June 5 Health in the Garden Learn about medicinal herbs and healing massage from Dr. Chen and Dr. Hu Instructors: Gui Juan Chen 陳桂娟, Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor, Danny Woo Gardener since 2001 & Yi Zhen Hu 胡颐贞 , Doctor of Gastroenterology, Danny Woo Gardener since 2015 Stay tuned for more monthly classes!  Children’s Garden Educator Positions
July 3rd – August 15th 2019 | Thursdays 1:00-4:00 pm Position Description: This volunteer position is open to enthusiastic educators who can implement our 6 week, once-a-week gardening curriculum to Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade children. Qualified Volunteers will be: - Passionate about gardening - Passionate about the CID community - Bi-lingual in Mandarin (preferred, not required) - Available Thursdays between July 3rd – August 15th - Have some environmental education experience  Part-Time Garden Groundskeeper
If you or anyone you know is interested in spending 8-12 hours a week working outside, is interested in meeting people from all around the world, and is passionate about our community garden, we want to hear from you! We are particularly interested in candidates who have experience with landscaping, carpentry, and can effectively communicate in Chinese. Korean or Vietnamese language skills are also a plus. Please send a cover letter and resume to lbaskerville@interimcda.org Accepting applications on a rolling basis. First round of applications reviewed April 1st Danny Woo Community Garden Groundskeeper 8-12 hours per week $16/hr Position also available as a University of Washington Work-Study If you love the Chinatown-International District, the outdoors, and working with your hands, then this is an ideal part-time job for you. The Danny Woo Community Garden Groundskeeper maintains and improves the garden landscapes and structures making sure that it always looks its best. In addition, groundskeepers keep the grounds safe for the public. You will get the chance to use a variety of practical skills as a groundskeeper, including carpentry, masonry, and landscaping. Job Responsibilities
Job Skills & Qualifications Required:
Accepting applications on a rolling basis. First round of applications reviewed April 1st  안녕하세요!
Do you miss your Gramma? Do you want to practice your Korean and learn about Korean gardening and traditional medicine? We are looking for an energetic Korean interpreter and translator to work a few hours a week/ as-needed to assist our 할머니 in the garden. We have a very flexible schedule. You will be asked to translate letters, flyers, and interview the gardeners to contribute to our Conservation of Cultures garden programming. You must be able to translate and interpret Korean proficiently. This is a volunteer position, but you will surely be rewarded with grandmotherly affection! Please contact lbaskerville@interimcda.org if interested. 감사합니다. |
About
The Danny Woo Community Garden is a 1.5 acre edible growing space located in the heart of Seattle's Chinatown/International District. The garden has been a place for elders to grow for over 40 years and is also home to a children's garden, chicken coop, and outdoor kitchen. Visit us at 620 S. Main St., Seattle, WA 98104. Archives
September 2019
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